It has been another hectic week for me. Closing on the condo has been keeping me busy and it looks like next week is when that will finally happen. I got my second Pfizer shot yesterday and compared to the first, it has been taxing. I’ve been tired for a day and a half and aching a fair amount even after sleeping nine hours last night. I am feeling a bit better at the time of writing, Friday evening, compared to earlier in the day so hopefully I’ll feel normal again soon.
Truthfully, I haven’t made a ton of painting progress or at least it doesn’t feel that way because I had a little less painting time compared to usual It also has been a bit of a rocky road because I couldn’t paint this in subassemblies like I wanted to. For those who don’t know, most pro painters will break a Games Workshop mini into smaller parts and paint every detail to ensure that it is display quality. You have to do this because most minis if you fully assemble them have spots that are really hard to reach/paint well. I couldn’t get that to work so instead I’ve had to mostly assemble and paint this Elk thing while holding it in my hands. I haven’t done that in a long time and it makes me feel like an amateur but thankfully, I’ve almost got it done to where I won’t need to do that anymore. Because the elk isn’t fully assembled or attached to a base, the pictures I took are pretty underwhelming but it will look better next time you see it.
So hopefully you can see the fur pattern I’ve been working on. Its the first time I’ve tried it and I think it looks fairly convincing to the eye so I’m really glad a friend suggested it. I don’t have too much more fur to paint which is good because after a week of nothing but fur, I’m ready to try painting something else! Not that I’m in a rush. The idea here is to make a display piece that is worthy of keeping in a display case for many years to come. More on that in future updates though.
Other than that, I finished reading the Pulp Alley rulebook and will write up my thoughts on it soon. I might even save publishing that for a “rainy day” like around the time I move. We shall see! Inspired by a recent article by Wudugast, I picked up some skeletons from Games Workshop (pictured below) that had just gone out of production and have already become surprisingly hard to find online. Thankfully, I found a hobby store in Indianapolis (about 3 hours drive from here) who were selling them at a great price so I scooped a box up. This can only mean that I will be painting a Coven Throne one day in the future which is something I look forward to!
Lastly I wanted to sing the praises of a great Marvel show that I would recommend to nearly anybody really. I know it is hardly new at this point but I finally finished watching the third and final season of Daredevil on Netflix and I’d have to say that they gave Daredevil fans a nearly perfect show. Netflix’s Daredevil focuses on the darker and grittier take on Daredevil made famous by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev where Matt always tries to do the right thing but still ends up being hurt or struggling to change a corrupt system. Daredevil has always appealed to me because he is moral and has a code and will never bend on it and yet, doing the right thing usually ends up with an unsatisfactory ending for him or the people he tries to help. So often that is what real life feels like to me and I would imagine just about anyone can relate to it. We all want to have a direct hand in good things happening like Matt does both as a lawyer and a vigilante but so often we end up dealing with red tape or having our ideas set aside. I personally think that is why the character is so relatable, well that, and Matt has a fair bit of bad luck in his personal life and is an underdog. And who among us hasn’t felt like an underdog in their lives at some point or another?
Getting back to the Daredevil show, the actors from top to bottom are excellent. Elektra and Punisher are dangerous but still likable. The Kingpin is truly evil and the perfect foil to Daredevil and Bullseye is pretty scary himself. Even “secondary” characters like Ben Urich are so well done. The plot lines are realistic and often surprise you. I’ve read my fair share of Daredevil comics and I still found myself on the edge of my seat throughout the show. The show also features absolutely incredible fight scenes which are so intense and realistic. Often in the longer fights, Matt and his enemies wear down and are gasping for air just like they would do in a real fight. Matt takes a beating sometimes and you really wonder if this fight is going to be his last. There are a few moments in the first season where the violence is a bit graphic and excessive but the other two seasons toned that done to where it was more tastefully done. I could say so much more about what makes the show great or things I love about it but I’ll just say that if you like the character at all then you should give the Netflix series a shot. It improves upon the Daredevil movie in pretty much every way. I have feeling it won’t last on Netflix forever since Marvel has taken back a lot of their IPs from other companies but hopefully it will be accessible in some way or another.
To cap off the Daredevil admiration, I thought I’d share a card from Upper Deck’s set that I’m proud to own. I bought a couple of boxes before the card market got crazy and got this fairly rare card. I don’t buy autograph cards a lot because they’re pretty pricey for the Marvel movies and so I feel very fortunately to have gotten Karen Page. Deborah Ann Woll is a bit of a board game fan in real life so that just makes her even cooler in my book. I also love that the background and the name of the cards come from something significant in the show. I should probably see if I can rub a couple of nickels together and get some more autograph cards from Daredevil because I have a hard time imagining that Daredevil will get a better TV or movie series than what Netflix created. In other words, I imagine the Daredevil show will be a favorite of mine for a long time to come.
I’ll have to check Daredevil out. Good luck with the move. 🙂
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I’d be curious to hear what you think of it! Thank you! I have a feeling that we’re still a couple weeks out so I will try to enjoy hobbying as much as I can in the meantime 😀
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Yep, agree with TIM, need to check out Daredevil! The elk’s looking good so far (need to take your word for it that it’s an elk, since it doesn’t appear to have a head yet)! 🙂
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I hope you enjoy Daredevil if you check it out, John! I’ve been following the assembly instructions and the elk’s head is supposed to go on nearly last which I don’t understand. I wouldn’t be surprised if I attach it soon because I want to paint all the fur and then move on to other parts. I fear I may forget how I painted the fur if I don’t do that that 🙂
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Hope the move goes smoothly for you Jeff. The Elk fur is looking great, you may need to add more once you’ve done the armour as the surrounding colours can often make it look toned down.
Have watched all the Netflix Marvel series, and enjoyed them all, with their nods to the comics.
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Thanks, Dave! It will be interesting to see what I think of the fur once I paint some of the other parts. I had picked out a different color and even started using it but a painting friend recommended the shade of brown that I’m using. My friend has good judgement so I’m trusting the process!
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Lots of changes = lots of stress. We’ve all been through it, and it will pass for you. The elk fur looks good, I’m sure looking forward to seeing your progress on it. My second Pfizer definitely knocked me for a loop too, so I feel ya.
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Totally agree Mark and I’m sorry to hear you had a similar experience with Pfizer. I suppose it could have been worse but the day after my shot felt like a lost day where I wasn’t able to do much. Thanks for the kind words on the painting. I’m excited to make more progress on this project as well!
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A good start on what I am sure will be a great display piece mate.
As for Daredevil, I have seen a couple of episodes but never sat down to watch it all from the start. I think Mrs. GG will need to do that at some point. Hearing your thoughts on it makes it much more appealing. I hope we get to hear more of your thoughts on such things in the future!
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Thanks, mate! I certainly hope so.
Daredevil is as good as the best shows on HBO in my opinion. They’re complex and cerebral but also unique. I don’t think all of the Netflix Marvel shows turned out nearly as well but Daredevil is worth giving a chance to.
I don’t watch much TV because I’m usually painting or playing video games but I’m running out of PS4 games I want to play and not ready to buy another console so I resubscribed to Disney Plus and am going to watch Wandavision. I’ll let you know how I get on with that in the near future! 🙂
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I really have no idea what you are painting. But don’t tell me now, I’ll just savor the anticipation of not knowing. I’m assuming it’s some massive GW kit. 😀
I have not checked out Daredevil. I always thought he was kinda a lame superhero. Like he’s blind but not really blind is just lazy writing to me.
Have you seen ‘ The Boys’ on Amazon? That’s a fun mature take on superheroes.
Be sure to pack your hobby supplies last.
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It will probably be more interesting if you watch this one come together. There will be some surprises that way!
Kinda lame? I’m not sure I can keep following your blog anymore 😉 Daredevil on Netflix is a mature take on the hero and on superheroes in general. I think if you like The Boys then you’d probably enjoy it. Maybe even more than you think!
I’ve got at least this week to paint some more which is good. I packed my hobby stuff last when I moved to Chicago and it annoyed my fiancée back then. I doubt I’ll do anything differently this time either 😀
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The elk looks great so far, the fur is really well done. I had the same reaction to my second vaccination as you; I was OK for a few hours, then felt like crap and ended up going to bed at 7pm and sleeping through till 6am. Still, I’m happy to be vaccinated and have a new appreciation of our Lord and Saviour Bill Gates.
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Cheers, Matt! I’m sorry to hear you got knocked out like I did but I’m right there with you that I’m glad to have been vaccinated. Maybe life will start to get back to normal soon now too. That would be nice!
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I think the fur texture comes across nicely. So the armour pieces are not attached yet ir how will you prime them? Looks like it has great potential in any case.
Daredevil was indeed a really good watch. I think they made Kingpin quite three-dimensional. Even sympathetic to some extent.
I can recommend Cobra Kai. It is such a good show. The writers are on fire. You think they go down a clichéd route, but then they resolve it in a sensible way. Pair that with great music and nostalgia and you have a very entertaining show.
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Cheers! I’m not priming anything before I paint it with this project. I wouldn’t dare do that with resin or metal but GW plastics are pretty forgiving and don’t need to be primed in my experience. If I could have done sub-assemblies, I would have primed however. And yes, my painting friends think I’m maniac for not priming 😀
I agree about the Kingpin. There are elements to the character that are relatable and admirable. I’ve heard great things about Cobra Kai and I do like The Karate Kid even if I was really young when it came out. I will give that one a shot in the near future!
Will you be sharing some more hobby updates with us soon? I’ve noticed you’ve got quiet for a bit and I hope you’ll be back to blogging soon!
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I indeed will post again soon. In fact behind the scenes I am moving the blog to self-hosted. New design, stuff easier to find and no cookies sniffing out my readers data.
It is quite a bit of work, but I am getting there.
I was actually quite productive the last months, but everything is WIP and needs a final touch here and there. A good summary of what I was up to can be found on Instagram (daggerandbrush_blog).
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That is great to hear and I gave you a follow on Instagram as well. I’m looking forward to seeing you back in action!
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Oh and the no prime is definitely unusual, but as long as the paint stays on your minis: why not. Did the same with Bones and it worked fine.
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Looking forward to whatever that figure is. As usual, no head.
I’m always surprised that any store can keep up with GW’s products that they keep pumping out. They are really becoming just an online store.
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Glad to hear it, Bret and I would have to agree. GW releases product so fast now compared to when I was in the hobby in the 2000’s. I think a lot of people are overwhelmed by it. As a painter and not a gamer of any of their systems (currently anyway), I try to use it to my advantage and select only the highest quality stuff that speaks to me. I don’t know how others can keep up beyond that!
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I like the look of that fur a lot, the Vanari Lord Regent is probably my favourite thing in the Lumineth range so I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with him. 🙂
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Great minds think alike then or so it would seem 🙂 Hopefully you like the option of the two that I pick best as well. I have a feeling you’ll know which one I’ve picked this weekend but time will tell!
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